Dark Avenues / Темные аллеи. Книга для чтения на английском языке

”

And having entered, quite at home, she began taking off her hat in front of my greyly silver and in places blackened mirror, and adjusting her rust-coloured hair; she threw off her coat and tossed it onto a chair, remaining in a checked flannel dress, sat down on the couch, sniffing her nose, wet with snow and rain, and ordered:

“Take my overshoes off and give me my handkerchief from my coat.”

I gave her the handkerchief, she wiped her nose, and stretched out her legs to me:

“I saw you yesterday at Shor’s concert[51 - Shor’s concert: David Solomonovich Shor (1867–1942), pianist and Professor at the Moscow Conservatoire.

Restraining a silly smile of pleasure and bewilderment – what a strange guest! – I obediently took off the overshoes, one after the other. She still smelt freshly of the air, and I was excited by that scent, excited by the combination of her masculinity with all that was femininely youthful in her face, in her direct eyes, in her large and beautiful hand – in everything that I looked over and felt, while pulling the high overshoes off from under her dress, beneath which lay her knees, rounded and weighty, and seeing her swelling calves in fine, grey stockings and her elongated feet in open, patent-leather shoes[52 - patent-leather shoes – лакированные туфли].

Next she settled down comfortably on the couch, evidently not intending to be leaving soon. Not knowing what to say, I began asking questions about what she had heard of me and from whom, and who she was, where and with whom she lived. She replied:

“What I’ve heard and from whom is unimportant. I came more because I saw you at the concert. You’re quite handsome. And I’m a doctor’s daughter, I live not far from you, on Prechistensky Boulevard.

She spoke abruptly somehow, and concisely. Again not knowing what to say, I asked:

“Do you want some tea?”

“Yes,” she said. “And if you have the money, order some rennet apples to be bought at Belov’s – here on the Arbat. Only hurry the boots[53 - boots – коридорный (служащий гостиницы, дежурный по этажу)] along, I’m impatient.”

“Yet you seem so calm.